Everyone in my bath!

We went to the most relaxing, beautiful, spiritual place over the weekend - a tiny place accessed via a 2 hour hectic drive in Manila traffic and smog, past a zillion little roadside stalls selling everything from watermelons stacked to the roof, roosters and pigs, scrummy smelling tid-bids being BBQ'd on outdoor racks and piles of husked coconuts, their milk waiting to be enjoyed.

We passed a jeepney filled up to the roof with all kinds of vegetables, and I thought of you Arabella and an interesting new way to provision!  We also passed one filled with pigs of all sizes.  The funniest being the little curly tail on the bottom of one which was wedged out the back window.



The Philippines is such a place of contrasts. We were discussing whether it is a third world country, when you see all these stores and incredibly flash locations catering for the wealthy, and the drivers all jostling for position as they get their various charges from A to B.

This is called Hidden Valley Springs and was created hundreds of centuries ago when a volcanic eruption occurred and created a 110 acre crater, 300 feet deep.  Through the cracks in this crater, volcanic springs of varying water temperatures seeped through the rock, creating pools of the purest natural mineral water, reputed to be medicinal and rejuvenating.

Noah loved having us all in his 'bath'!

And then we tried the pool at home and here is the reaction!

Bookie Bird